Posted on 02/26/2017 6:22:35 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
When BTD employee, Derrick Cariveau extends a hand to introduce himself mid-shift, his palms are a little dirty, and he talks a little louder to make sure his voice carries over the noise of welding robots.
The faint smell of welding smoke and coolant is detectable in the air—it's a shop where work gets done, but it's far from the sweatshop some may think when they hear "manufacturing."
Safety is always put first, and the reality is that with robots breaking into—and reshaping—the manufacturing industry, a lot of the heavy lifting is being taken care of by robotic hands rather than human ones.
However, adding robots doesn't mean BTD needs less employees. In fact, the manufacturing industry is hurting for workers due to a worker shortage sweeping the nation with the retirement of the Baby Boomers. The Detroit Lakes area is feeling that shortage not just at BTD, but at various manufacturing businesses around town.
Despite help from robotics, the industry is reliant on skilled, human hands. At BTD they still hand-weld low-volume assemblies—and they seem to always be struggling to fill those welding positions among others.
"Give me a good person, I'll put them to work," said James Vogt, director of operations at BTD, adding that he loves "bringing in these young people that love to fritz with technology."
Like Cariveau, for example, who has been with BTD for the last 8 and a half years after getting into the business through the school-to-work program at the Detroit Lakes High School.
"I started as pretty much a goat boy I called it," Cariveau said, recalling doing tasks like sweeping the floors, wiping off the machines, and laying down floor tape because he wasn't 18, the age he needed to be to work the machines.
But Cariveau stuck with it, moving up to a "parts chipper" position, sanding off weld splatter and, now he's the robot assembly lead, overseeing a team of about eight guys.
The "growing within the company" Cariveau did isn't uncommon for BTD men and women either. In fact, Vogt held a number of different positions within the company, starting as an operator on "the floor" before becoming the director of operations.
Over his 24 years at BTD, Vogt has worked with weldments, and moved into robotics before getting into "the planning side" of the business.
"It was a really fun way to learn the entire business," he said, adding that he was able to move into an executive position from there.
"You get a different look at the business as you do that, branching out with the business," he said.
For Vogt, it has always been about having a "career" rather than "just a job," and continuing to stay interested in that career.
"There's two things I always kept in sight: 1) be a successful person within the team--that's the first hurdle...then, 2) can I stay interested enough throughout this journey," he said.
And the best way he knew how to stay interested (and successful) was to keep learning.
"Forty percent of my time served has probably been spent training," he said, proudly pointing to a plaque he recently received for completing a leadership training. "You don't stop growing until you choose to stop learning."
As far as continuing to learn, manufacturing is the racket to be in, Vogt says—and Cariveau agrees.
"I actually love my job," Cariveau said. "It's like a new challenge every day."
But newcomers shouldn't be intimidated. BTD is willing to train newbies—if only to teach them all the acronyms. Also, Cariveau says the basics are pretty easy to catch onto with SWI's (Standard Work Instructions) on a computer at every station to show step-by-step how to do each weld.
"As long as you know the process at BTD, you should be able to work in any department," he said.
Not to mention, with a team leader like Cariveau, the crew is kept pretty well up to speed.
"I like to get here about a half hour before my guys and get them all up to speed. Then, after about 15 minutes I like to make a round and make sure everyone's having a good start up...(keep them) as happy as you can keep 'em," he smiled.
Get your one way ticket to midnight...
I’m seriously thinking about learning CNC machining. After 20 years in IT I’m ready for a change.
L
I keep telling my son he should get into welding. He loved it during high school. But he prefers to make excuses and bum money off me ...
The labor shortage is caused by inability to pass entry and random drug tests, which machine shops require. There is the same 'shortage' in the transportation industry.
So true.
My father operated heavy equipment into his 80s. When asked why he was still around, his boss said "He shows up every Monday morning and passes the drug test every time."
Wasn’t it Rubio who was chided for saying something like...”We need more welders and less Philosophers”?
I don’t care for Foam Boy, but he was “spot” on with that comment.
A good welder works his butt off, but earns a damn good paycheck.
Are there really that many people who cannot pass a drug test? What is the consumption level per capita?
I am in IT as well, and have always had an admiration for skilled machinists. I used to work in aerospace in a factory. That would be my second career if I ever have one.
I worked in a machine shop in my early 20s, and enjoyed it. Except for the machine oil spraying everywhere. Those days are gone now. Much cleaner.
L
It (drug use) seems to be rampant in the blue collar trades.
I don’t know why but I doubt baristas and stock brokers, etc. have to pee in a bottle like pilots and crane operators do.
Not to mention reporters and newscasters.
I went into the industrial automation/ process control long ago. Much more interesting when you start dealing with the material balance in a refinery. It’s a multi discipline field.
Of all the people i know only one is a regular user of illegal substances - a former journalist.
At 56 it may be a bit late to make that big a change. LOL
Thanks,
L
Gee, labor is affected by supply and demand like any other commodity. So raise wages and workers will come.
Welders make $16/hr. average. The HR mafia holds down wages nationwide by paying according to some arbitrary scale. The laws of supply and demand are not allowed to work for labor.
Many big IT firms require drug screening.
Was their song of the same name the inspiration for your screen name?
Yes it was. :)
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